You Again (Completed) ✔️

18.

After Liam helped me up the hill, we headed to the car. He held the car door open for me. "Get in. I'm driving Veronica and you to my friend's place so you can change."

I climb into the car. "We don't have any dry clothes to change into."

"Mom brought some over for you." He shuts the door and walks over to the driver's side door. He opens the door and climbs into the car. Holding his hand out to me, he says. "Keys."

I open my handbag and search for the keys. I find them at the bottom amongst all the crap I have in my bag. Pulling them out, I hand them to my brother. "Are you going to tell me which friend's house we're going to?"

"No," He starts the car and heads out of the private property.

I see my brother in the car behind us in the rearview mirror. He waves at me, and I do the same.

When we get onto the main road, I recognise the streets as we get closer to Cole's place.

Great! Cole's place is closest to where we are. Where are we going to have a shower and change into clean clothes? Now, everyone's going to expect us to sit down and talk.

A couple of minutes later, the car pulled into the driveway of my arch-enemy's house. I saw him through the window watching something on TV. He looked out the window and saw the car. Cole walked over to the door and opened it for us.

There's no way I'm going in there.

My brother takes his seatbelt off and looks at me. "You have to go inside."

I shake my head. "Please, just take me home. I don't want to get changed in there."

He opens the car door." You're going inside, Julia. If I have to carry you inside, I will." He steps out of the car and rounds my side. Opening the door, he undoes my seatbelt before lifting and carrying me over his shoulder. He grabs my purse. "You have no choice in the matter now."

Veronica starts laughing at me. "You should have listened to your brother."

Liam walks into the house. "Which bathroom is Julia going to? I don't want her to run for it before she has a shower."

"Mine, it's upstairs. The third bedroom on the right."

Looking at Cole, I say. "Why am I using your bathroom?"

He ignores my question, and my brother whisks me up the stairs.

Liam places me on the ground in the bathroom. "Have a shower. Then we'll go home and have dinner." He closes the door behind him.

Looking around the bathroom, I see his and her basins. One side is full of things, and the other side is bare. Opening the draws, I don't see anything on her side.

I strip out of my clothes and open the door to the shower. Looking in, I see two shower heads.

Turning the tap on, I adjust the temperature to my liking. Leaning my head back, I let the water wash over my body.

I spend a while in the shower before I wash my hair and body with the stuff in Cole's bathroom. When I'm done in the shower, I grab a towel and dry myself. Pulling out my clothes from the bag that was placed on the counter, I start to change. Putting my wet clothes in the bag, I head down to the living room.

When I get there, I see Cole sitting in the lounge, and my brothers aren't there. Looking outside, I see the cars gone. "Where's Veronica, Liam, and Antwon?"

"They went home. Julia, we should talk. It's something that everyone wants us to do. I was given strict instructions by your mother and brothers that we can't leave this house until we talk properly."

I walk over to the lounge and sit across from him. "Fine, you want to talk. You can go first, but the one thing I want to know is why did you treat me like shit when we were in high school?"

Cole runs his hand over his mouth. Thinking of something to say, I stand up and slowly head to the door when he doesn't answer right away. "Don't go." He whispers. He blinks a couple of times before saying. "I liked you a lot, Julia, and I didn't know how to express myself. The only way I could do that was by being mean to you. Every time I saw you with a date, it would bring out my worst side."

I wasn't expecting that. I also had feelings for Cole, but that turned to hate after the way he continued to act towards me.

Looking at him, I say. "I also had a crush on you in high school, Cole. It turned into hate after the way you treated me on graduation day."

"I'm sorry." He moves towards me and opens his arms, wrapping them around me. "I didn't mean to hurt you the way I did. After you left, I kept hoping you would come home so I could apologise and make things right."

I hit his chest. "I still hate you, Cole. That's not going to change any time soon. You've hurt me a lot, and I can't forget what happened between us."

He drops his arms. "Can we start over? Get to know each other and become friends?"

I sigh. "Okay, but I can't hang out with you right now. Please, give me time, Cole. That's all I'm asking for."

"I can do that." He grabs his keys off the table. "Let's go back to yours for dinner. Your mother invited me over after she dropped off Veronica and your clothes."

"What's for dinner?"

"Pizza. Did you know your mother makes the best homemade pizza?"

Of course, I did.

When we get to the car, he opens the door for me and waits for me to buckle up before closing the door. He rounds the car to his side and climbs in.

He puts the keys into the ignition and says, "Let's get you home for pizza."

A smile spreads across my face.

I'm glad that he has an extended family after his parents died, even if it's my own.

Looking at him, I say. "Thanks for being there for my family when I couldn't."

"It's my fault you weren't there when they needed you, but I'm glad you're home safe and sound."

"Me, too." Leaning my head against the headrest, I say, "Do you want to know a secret?"

"Sure?"

"I left the Island not because of the tsunami but in search of something fulfilling, like starting a family. That's one thing I want before I die."

Cole pulls the car to the side of the road. "I know how you feel, Julia. After I lost my parents, I kept thinking that they would have been good Grandparents had they not died before I met a woman who would have my children, but I've lost a lot since high school, and I don't think I'll ever get it back."

I place my hand on his arm. "It takes time to get the things you want, Cole. It's not going to happen with a snap of a finger. Unless you're on Bewitched, then that's possible."

He laughs. "I've seen some re-runs of that TV show. It made me laugh a couple of times."